WILLEMSTAD – The Curaçao government is considering giving July 2 a broader official status by designating it not only as the Day of the Anthem and the Flag, but also as Curaçao Day. Minister of Education, Culture and Sport Sithree van Heydoorn shared the proposal during a public session of Parliament.
According to the minister, a draft proclamation is currently under review to clarify the official naming of July 2. The initiative follows recent archival research showing that while the Island Council decided in 1984 to commemorate July 2 as the Day of the Anthem and the Flag, it did not formally establish the day under a single, comprehensive title such as Flag Day.
Van Heydoorn emphasized that July 2 holds broader historical significance for Curaçao. On that date in 1951, the Island Council convened for the first time, an event widely regarded as the practical start of Curaçao’s autonomy. In addition, July 2, 1984 marked the first official hoisting of the Curaçao flag.
By possibly renaming the date Curaçao Day, the minister said the commemoration would extend beyond the ceremonial raising of the flag and singing of the anthem, to also highlight national identity, emancipation, and the island’s historical development. He noted that if the day is given a broader meaning, a public awareness campaign would be necessary to ensure that its significance is widely understood.
No final decision has yet been made on the proposed name change.